I'm selling a Sigma lens on Craigslist, and one of the interested people wants the original receipt from when I bought it 3 months ago. I'm worried about my personal info (such as my home address and some digits of my CC) being on the receipt, so I'm wondering if I should include the receipt. Is including the receipt standard practice? I can see a need for one if a warranty issue arises, but what do I do if I'm selling the lens?

I'm selling a Sigma lens on Craigslist, and one of the interested people wants the original receipt from when I bought it 3 months ago. I'm worried about my personal info (such as my home address and some digits of my CC) being on the receipt, so I'm wondering if I should include the receipt. Is including the receipt standard practice? I can see a need for one if a warranty issue arises, but what do I do if I'm selling the lens?

- Jason

The original receipt is mine and any personal data will never be included in a sale. I might give a photo copy but all personal data would be blanked out. If that was not satisfactory then I just find another buyer...There are thousands out there.

I would never buy a somewhat new second hand lens without the original buyer's receipt, as a proof that the lens isn't stolen or shop-lifted. I also demand to get an additional receipt issued by the seller to give me proof that I myself bought the lens in an honest way, i e if it becomes an insurance errand. There's a huge market for stolen goods, not leastly on ebay. As I see it we all become an accomplice if we buy without questions asked.

And if it's as new as your's the receipt is also needed for warranty issues.

What information is possible to draw from the receipt that a frauder can use for illegitimate purposes? I guess your name and address is already well spread and easily attained from public and commercial files. Is there a credit card number on the receipt?

When I sold my K10d it had 6 months under warranty still, I included the receipt paperwork. Between pipl.com and zabasearch.com and birthdatabase.com someone can get most of your information (including your date of birth) with only your name and town, free. If they invest $3.00 they can get even more here: www.intelius.com. I do not know how well they gather info on citizens of other countries besides the USA but the critical mass of information that can be gathered by these search engines is pretty scary. Living in Florida is particularly bad as our Sunshine Law makes nearly every official record a public document and most of them are online and gathered by these search engines.

I'm not saying you shouldn't worry about the receipt, I am just pointing out that there is a lot more out there to be worried about too. Searching only with my name and the state of Florida and only using free internet resources I found my name and date of birth, address, my wife's name, address, and date of birth and my children's names. Also a helpful satellite image map of my house. In my line of work, that is scary.